advice on replacement spikes

the Xmas tree style are my favorite. They last the longest and have a good feel to them. Pin or needle what ever you may call them are good but they wear down fast. I hate pyramid spikes on the track, they don't stick and it just feels awkward running on them.

I read that the needle(pin) stick a little to well for distance runners and may slow you down a bit. Is this true for you? Are the xmas tree good for outdoor? I read they kind of give you a little extra bounce but they didnt say if they were good for outdoors. I tried researching but I got alot of conflicting info and most if it was about sprinters.

I might argue that most high school runners really don't "need" spikes for anything longer than the 800. A good light pair of flats would probably serve you just as well.

yes, the needle spikes do stick into the track. at the HS level its debatable on whether or not this makes any difference unless youre at the elite tier. i personally dont like needles because as previously stated they wear down faster and i think they stick too much into the track.

pyramids may not have as much "traction" as needles but they ride the surface better and dont pierce the track like needles do. needles are actually bad for the track surface itself in it that they pierce the surface and wear it down faster.

pyramids are the common go to spike for HS'ers because they are legal on any track. needles are legal on most any track as well except for maybe some indoor tracks here and there that want to preserve the surface better.

on the elite level needles are counterproductive for races due to the slow down, but its more of a factor in the slower races. longer races not so much.

christmas trees do in fact give you more return energy and bounce. they are good for any track surface except for surfaces that are harder (i.e. sprinter tracks) due to them becomeing uncomfortable. christmas trees ride the surface of the track and compress it on the landing and push off phases so not as much energy is lost on the output and more is given back on push off. these are the types of spikes sprinters go with because they need every bit of return energy they can get and need to decrease ground contact time as much as possible. this also translates into the distance races though and they are my favorite spikes to use.

unless otherwise stated by meet officials, any spike is legal and good for any track. it really just comes down to preference for most people unless youre at the top of the nation. christmas trees are good both indoors and out but there are some indoor meets that dont allow them because officials stupidly think they are bad for the track and give an unfair advantage...

if your really concerned about spike placement/choice your thinking about it too much. just run in whatever spikes you feel like and are most comfortable to you (whether it be a physically comfortable thing or mentally comfortable)

be aware though that different shoes feel differently when placed up with different spikes and some are more suited to others. pyramids work with pretty much anything and are most comfortable in cross shoes. needles are the same but are more suited for track shoes but can feel awkward on harder surfaces. christmas trees can get uncomfortable and even a little painful if your on a hard track (sprinter track) and work best comfort wise in sprint shoes.

for the victories, christmas trees would be perfect due to the aggressive and solid feel of the plate. they were originally designed with christmas trees anyways (permanent ones in fact), but they work with any spike really.

[quote]JB800/1500 wrote:

on the elite level needles are counterproductive for races due to the slow down, but its more of a factor in the shorter* races. longer races not so much.

fixed